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Warriors Complete Season Sweep of Cavs

After a high-scoring first half, Golden State tightened down the clamps in the second on their way to a 118-108 road win in Cleveland on Monday night. Kevin Durant paced the Warriors with 32 points in addition to eight assists. Stephen Curry added 23 points and eight dimes, while Draymond Green just missed a triple-double with 11 points, nine assists and a season-high 16 rebounds. With the victory, Golden State stretches their road winning streak to 13 games.

TEAM LEADERS

MLK DAY MATCHUP

Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is one of the most special days of the NBA calendar, and just like Christmas, the two reigning NBA Finalists got together for the league’s primetime game. Monday’s matchup marked the sixth-straight year Golden State played on MLK Day, and for the third-straight year, Cleveland was their opponent. And after Monday’s victory, the Dubs are now 3-0 against the Cavs in those matchups. Overall, the Warriors are now 17-9 all-time on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

FOURTH QUARTER DEFENSE
Both Golden State and Cleveland entered Monday’s game ranking amongst the top offensive teams in the league, and they left no doubt about their offensive prowess based on how the game started. The two sides shot out of the gate, as Cleveland held a slim 37-35 advantage at the end of one. The Cavs would maintain that lead throughout the entire second quarter and hold a 64-57 lead going into halftime, but both sides would find it tougher to score in the second half.

Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry combined for eight-straight points midway through the third frame to put the Warriors momentarily back in front, and after the two sides traded baskets (and the lead) for several possessions, they’d enter the fourth and final quarter with Golden State in front 93-91. After Isaiah Thomas scored the opening points of the fourth to knot the game, the Dubs reeled off six-straight points and wouldn’t trail for the duration of the contest. The Warriors limited the Cavs to just 11 points in the first nine minutes of the closing frame, over the course of which they built a double-digit cushion before coasting the final minutes to a decisive 118-108 victory.

30 ASSISTS AGAIN
Golden State collected 11 assists on 13 made baskets in the first quarter, setting the stage for yet another 30-plus assist performance. The Dubs would finish the game with 33 helpers, marking the 147th 30-assist game the Warriors have had since Steve Kerr became Head Coach. That's three times as many as the next-closest team, the Hawks, who have 49 such games.

UP NEXT
The Warriors will attempt to tie the longest road winning streak in franchise history when they go for their 14th consecutive road win on Wednesday in Chicago against the Bulls.